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HC grants relief to Bindra
Plight of Border Residents - 2 |
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Bhattal appears before Privileges Committee
Punj wants Indo-Pak talks postponed
Communities reach accord; curfew relaxed for 13 hours Batala, February 23 Batala inched towards normalcy today with the district administration deciding to give a continuous 13-hour relaxation in the curfew. After Hindu and Christian groups hammered out an agreement late last evening in the presence of Commissioner (Jalandhar Division) SR Ladher, officials decided to relax the curfew from 6 am till 7pm today.
Chemists selling MTP pills without prescription
State expects central aid of Rs 1,420 cr
Qadian-Beas train may be a reality
ETT teachers protest
Water supply goes hi-tech
‘Water shortage to impact agriculture’
Man points pistol at court staff, flees
No cap on gratuity: HC
2 youths killed in Vienna cremated
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HC grants relief to Bindra
Chandigarh, February 23 The directions came after the PPCB said the effluent treatment plant installed at the unit was found to be sufficient for processing and treating 350 buffaloes and not 500, the actual capacity of the machinery at the unit. PML also undertook that it would process not more than 350 animals in a single day. The Bench also directed the PPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board to ensure that provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 were complied with and the unit did not exceed the limits specified. During the arguments, PPCB counsel AR Takkar said the board had given its consent to the unit to process 350 buffaloes on December 2, 2009, after its inspection team found PML in order for slaughtering 350 animals. The conditions laid by the PPCB, while issuing consent to PML, include maintenance of a detailed record of animals slaughtered; installation of electromagnetic flow meters at final discharge to measure the quality of effluent and ensuring the plantation of vegetables on land where treated water was discharged.
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Plight of Border Residents - 2 Chander Parkash Tribune News Service
Mohar Jamsher (Fazilka), February 23 A denial of basic amenities by the successive state and Centre governments, no educational and employment opportunities and “hostile” attitude of the authorities concerned towards their genuine problems has made their lives a “burden” on them. “As we have taken birth in this area, we are passing our time. Life has got no charm for us,” said Jagir Singh of this village, adding that now only a miracle could change their lives. “Should we rejoice at the fact that we are citizens of independent India when we cannot get bus service, civil and veterinary hospitals, high school, safe drinking water, toilets and roads in the past over 60 years?” he asked. He said after Class V, children of the area had to go to Fazilka, 15 km from here, for further studies. “We were uprooted in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. We were again uprooted when mines were laid in this area after the Parliament attack a few years ago. The Sutlej has also been playing havoc with our lives more often,” said Karnail Singh, adding the successive state governments never showed mercy on their plight. About a year ago, the residents of this village also witnessed an unprovoked firing from the Pakistan side. Unregistered medical practitioners hold higher status in their lives as in case of emergency, only they are available to them. Not only this, most of the residents have been left with no choice than to marry off their children to residents of nearby villages, which are having almost the same kind of atmosphere. When residents of this village were asked whether any one from their village had been given employment by the Punjab government, they said only one person had been engaged as a boatman so far since Independence. Most of the residents have been eking out their livelihood by rearing cattle and tilling smallholdings of land. A significant section of them would go to Fazilka town daily to work as labourers. Though residents expressed their resentment over their frisking by BSF personnel every time whenever they enter or exit this village, they also appreciated them for their help being extended to them in case of emergencies. However, they have been demanding that another cobra fencing, which was wrongly erected alongside the Sutlej about 25 years ago, must be dismantled. They also demanded that the BSF authorities should not dismantle a pontoon bridge over the Sutlej during the months when crops were sown and harvested so that they could be able to transport their produce at nearby markets without any hassle. (To be continued)
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Bhattal appears before Privileges Committee
Chandigarh, February 23 Bhattal is accused of urging Congress
legislators to take on the Badals (Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal). This allegedly led to
Congress members charging towards the Chief Minister, which led to
unruly scenes and finally violence. According to sources six members of
the Privileges Committee attended meeting---- Sarabjit Singh Makkar,
Virsa Singh Valtoha and Anil Joshi from the SAD-BJP combine and Razia
Sultana, Makhan Singh and Tej Prakash from the Congress.
Forms panel to
look into farmer’s death
Punjab Congress Legislature Party leader
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today announced the formation of a five-member
panel to inquire into the death of a farmer at the hands of a
“politico-police” nexus operating in the state. Bhattal said the
committee comprising legislators Darshan Singh Brar, Kewal Singh Dhillon,
Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Om Prakash Soni and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria
would hold meetings with the affected family as well as villagers to
find out the circumstances leading to the death of farmer Sadhu Singh
Takhtupura.
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Punj wants Indo-Pak talks postponed
Amritsar, February
23 He said this before leaving for historic Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Shaheed to perform ardas there. He said the UPA government must reconsider all ties with Pakistan in the light of emerging facts of the brutal killing of two Sikhs and the Pune blast orchestrated from its territory. About selection of venue for
ardas, he said the gurdwara signified martyrdom. “Baba Deep Singh had embraced martyrdom while fighting tyranny and forced conversions,” he said, adding that similarly, Jaspal Singh and Mahal Singh preferred to die rather bowing before the
Taliban. Punj said after the Partition, 9 per cent Muslims were left in the country and their present number stood at 16 per cent. He said there was 20 per cent population of Hindu and Sikhs in Pakistan left after its formation. But their number now stood at 1.5 per cent in that country. He said Bangladesh had 30 per cent Hindu populace in 1971, which came down at 8 per cent at present. Sharp decrease in population of minorities in these countries could either be contributed to the mass killing or conversion
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Batala markets return to life
Batala, February 23 After three days of inaction, people could be seen purchasing items of daily use in the main markets of the city, including Chakkri
Bazar, Khajuri gate bazaar, Quila Mandi and Gandhi chowk. A senior official claimed that peace returned to the town only due to efforts of the Commission
(Jalandhar Divison), who bargained hard with both Hindu and Christian groups. As per the first part of the pact, the Batala police released eight persons of both communities, who were picked up for arson and looting on Saturday and as per the second part, the district administration will compensate Hindu shopkeepers, whose premises were ransacked. Deputy Commissioner Karamjit Singh Sra said a magisterial probewould be held by ADC (General) RP Singh into causes that led to the violence on Saturday. He would submit a report within 15 days, the DC added. The economy of the town has been hit hard and industrialists are still counting their losses. JS
Nagi, Secretary, Batala Foundry Association, said, “Foundries in Batala have accumulated losses worth crores of rupees in three days. What was our fault? The curfew has hit our industries hard.” Similar sentiments were echoed by other foundry owners. In some Christian-dominated areas, an uneasy calm still prevailed and district administration officials were working over time to smother ruffle feathers in these localities. Meanwhile, Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa held a press conference and said the Congress high command had sent him on a fact-finding mission. He said he would submit his report to the Prime Minister tomorrow. He said the Centre would paying compensation to affected shop owners and to those whose vehicles were burnt during the violence. Cutting across the party lines, politicians thanked Christian and Hindu organisations for having brokered an agreement due to which peace returned to the town. Among others who welcomed peace efforts were Congress leaders Ashwani
Shekhri, Raman Behal and Sukhjinder Sngh Randhawa, Batala MLA Jagdeesh Raj
Sawhney, Batala Municipal Council President Ambika Khanna and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Secretary Salamat
Masih.
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Chemists selling MTP pills without prescription
Ludhiana, February 23 Majority of the women/girls go to gynaecologists after taking pills that are readily available on drug stores without doctor’s prescription. The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) in Punjab have demanded immediate withdrawal of the MTP pills from drug stores. " It is clearly mentioned in the MTP Act that only a qualified MBBS doctor with six months house job in Gynaecology, Diplomate of National Board, MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology can go ahead with the medical termination of pregnancy. But the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, has given a free hand to the chemists to sell the MTP pills, which has become a "money minting" exercise for the quacks, untrained midwives and the chemists themselves," Said Dr Amarjit Singh Rattan, secretary, FOGSI, Ludhiana. The success rate of MTP pills is 90-92 per cent and should be administered within 19 days of the pregnancy, but the quacks, untrained midwives and the chemists, administer it even in the second trimester, which leads to profuse bleeding. Oblivious of the repercussions in failure of pregnancy termination through these pills, many patients subject their newborns to the risk of moebius syndrome (multiple malformation). Dr Amita Sharma, president, FOGSI, Jalandhar, coming down heavily on the Department of Health and Family Welfare stated that every termination of pregnancy with the pill in the absence of doctor amounts to "undocumented abortion" which is all time high in Punjab. "Every day I deal with 3 to 4 cases where women come after taking the MTP pills and the blood loss has lowered their hemoglobin to the level of anaemia. Also, they end up with endless complications, including infertility," Dr Sharma added. Health secretary Satish Chandra said he would ask the drug controller to look into the matter. If over-the-counter sale of the pills were a violation of the MTP Act, its open sale would be banned.
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State expects central aid of Rs 1,420 cr
Chandigarh, February 23 In separate demi-official letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has again pleaded the case of the state and its fund-starved Punjab State Electricity Board demanding the provision of special central assistance of Rs 1,420 crore to the state in the Union Budget later this month. Badal said despite a drought-like situation that prevailed in this part of the country, the state produced 16.83 MT of paddy of which 13.81 MT went to the central pool during the kharif marketing season 2009.
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Qadian-Beas train may be a reality
Gurdaspur, February 23 In a letter to the Prime Minister on January 19, Bajwa had reminded him that the railway track is not a new issue as the same was sanctioned way back in 1928-29 by the then British government. To prove his claims, Bajwa has taken help of documents procured from the Rail Transport Museum, New Delhi. The documents, which are available with TNS, reveal during 1928-29, the Qadian-Beas track was to be constructed by the Northern Western Railway. The records also prove that work, for some inexplicable reason, was halted in 1932 after nearly 33 per cent of the track was laid down. During his tenure as the Railway Minister in the British Government, Sir Zafrullah Khan, who was from Qadian and later rose to become the President of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, tried to extend the line to Beas. However, this could not be accomplished and in the aftermath of the Partition, Zafrullah Khan settled in Pakistan, leaving the track nobody’s baby. According to Bajwa, Zafrullah Khan, who was also Pakistan’s first Foreign Minister, tried his best to get the track extended and had the Partition not come, Khan would have been successful in his dreams to see a train chug on the Qadian-Beas railway track. Bajwa has urged the PM that the extension of the track till Beas will “greatly add to the economic and social development of the area. The MP also said since the region was bordering Pakistan, the track would also help the military establishment to a great extent.
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ETT teachers protest Mohali, February 23 The policemen had to physically push the protesting candidates out of the venue. President of the union Jaspal singh chabbar said the state government was employing teachers who had passed from Jammu University. They had been unemployed since 2006. Reacting to the protest, the minister said the selection of the ETT teachers had been done on merit. The certificates of only recognised universities had been considered. She denied any wrong doing in the selection process.
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Water supply goes hi-tech Anandpur Sahib, February 23 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal inaugurated the project today. Officials from the Water Supply and Sanitation Department said using the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System technique, the government would be able to save huge cost of manpower involved. As per norms, the department is supposed to deploy three pump attendants per pump, which means installing six pumps would have led to deploying 18 more people with the already burdened economy. A trained computer operator would control all the six at master control station built at the department’s office.
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‘Water shortage to impact agriculture’ Chandigarh, February 23 India has just about 4 per cent of the water resources, thereby urgently requiring planned management and sustained efforts to harness the precious resources. Agriculture accounts for 85 per cent of the water consumption. Prof Kang, who was here to address a workshop on Sustainable Agri-Growth and Agri-Technology organised at the CSIO, said that by 2021, the demand for food would rise to 276 million tones as against the present production of 230 million tones. Intensifying food production systems, including technology, inputs, improving land and water management through technologies were among measures listed by him to deal with the emerging situation.
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Man points pistol at court staff, flees
Gidderbaha, February 23 Rashpal has been facing a trial in the court of Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate on the charges of theft and house breaking along with nine other accused. A case was registered against him in June 2006 at the Gidderbaha police station. After completion of police investigation, the investigation officer concerned moved a cancellation report in the court on January 29 this year. It was reportedly recommended by the ADA, Gidderbaha. However, the Magistrate refused to admit the plea. The accused today appeared before the Magistrate and had verbal duel with her, when she raised some question related to the case. Irked over the query, he openly started blaming her for being biased. Displaying his anger, Rashpal threw his pen on the table of the Magistrate. Taking serious notice of his behaviour, the Magistrate ordered his immediate arrest on the charges of contempt of court. When policemen advanced to arrest him, Rashpal pointed his pistol at the staff and managed to flee. Though the Magistrate refused to divulge details to the media, sources said she had reported the incident to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High court, state Governor, District and Sessions Judge, Muktsar, and many other highly posted officials. Later, police said the reader of the court, Gian Chand, lodged a formal complaint at the Gidderbaha police station alleging that Rashpal used “derogatory” language against the Magistrate and pointed pistol at him. Confirming the facts, Muktsar SSP Inder Mohan Singh said, “We have received a complaint and will book him under various sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.” On the other hand, the accused, Rashpal Singh, also sent a complaint to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High court accusing the Magistrate of being corrupt and biased. He accused the Magistrate of seeking bribe of Rs 1 lakh from him to allow the cancellation of an FIR lodged against him, which he refused to pay. In a four-page log complaint, he demanded his case to be transferred from the court of Rajwinder Kaur to any other court, as he was apprehensive for getting justice. However, till the filing the report, Rashpal was at large.
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No cap on gratuity: HC Chandigarh, February 23 “The employer, who is more concerned with the industrial peace and better employer-employee relations, can always give benefit to the employees irrespective of any statutory minimum prescribed under law in respect of such relief.” Justice Ranjit Singh further asserted: “In all welfare legislation, the amount payable to the employees or labourers is fixed at minimum rate and there won’t be any prohibition for an employer to give better per-requisites or amount then what is fixed under law. “It is also clear that the Gratuity Act is not intended to do away with other retiral benefits already existing and available to the employees. It is to confer extra benefits. This is a social piece of legislation and the Court has to construe the provision to help in achieving the object of the legislation. The endevour has to be to see that the beneficial schemes already existing and the scheme of gratuity under the Gratuity Act co-exist in a concern”. The ruling came on an appeal by the Managing Director of Punjab State Cooperative Bank Ltd. against Manjit Singh Sodhi and other respondents. Senior lawyer under criticism
The role of a senior advocate has come under criticism in a gratuity matter. The high court observed: “The issue apparently is further compounded due to an action taken by a senior counsel, who had appeared for appellant Punjab State Cooperative Bank Ltd. His advice to Registrar led to withdrawing certain communication earlier issued by him. This has given rise to filing of number of writ petitions by the employees to challenge the communication. “The bank has also come forward to challenge the calculation of gratuity by filing number of petitions making this advice as a base. “The court had decreed the suit, primarily on the ground that the Common Cadre Rules would govern the payment of gratuity in this case. There was no specific pleading made that the Gratuity Act is to apply or that it would have an overriding effect. Apparently, to tide over this tight situation, another novel method appears to have been invented and adopted to move the Registrar to withdraw the approval granted by him to the rules. “A communication was initiated on October 19, 2005, by the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Punjab, to the Managing Director of the appellant-Bank to the effect that the letter regarding gratuity were withdrawn on the legal advice given by senior advocate, who is named in the communication. The communication reads: Proposal sent by you vide letter under reference on the subject mentioned above was considered and on the recommendation of the Managing Director, Punjab State Co-operative Bank, and keeping in view the legal advice given by HS Mattewal, a senior advocate of the high court, regarding gratuity are hereby withdrawn…. “These letters have, thus, been withdrawn on the advice of a counsel, who had appeared for the bank to argue the regular second appeal…. It is for the counsel to consider if it was ethical to tender legal advice in a case where he was representing a party. It would be a cause of grievance to those employees who were affected because of the withdrawal of these communications”.
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2 youths killed in Vienna cremated
Jalandhar, February 23 Meanwhile, the relatives of both the youths have demanded financial help of at least Rs 10 lakh each from the state government as provided to the families of the two Sunam youths, Navdeep Singh and Kawaldeep Singh, who had been killed by three Punjabis in Australia. While the last rites of Navjeet were performed on Monday, Ravinder’s last rites were performed on Sunday itself. Navjeet’s father Jasbir Singh told The Tribune that the autopsy reports stated that they died due to suffocation by the gas from geyser.
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Situated at stone’s throw from the zero line, Mohar Jamsher village is surrounded by Pakistan from three sides and is sealed with the cobra fencing. Its fourth side has barricades.
Punjab Education Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur and other officials of the state education department were caught unawares when members of unemployed ETT teachers union started sloganeering against the Akali government during a function organised by Mohali District Education Department here today.
The function had been organised at Manav Mangal Smart School to honour teachers at the district level. As the minister began her speech, ETT teachers
started raising slogans.